Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[ER-FRL-5484-5]

Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of

EPA Comments

Availability of EPA comments prepared August 18, 1997 Through

August 22, 1997 pursuant to the Environmental Review Process (ERP),

under Section 309 of the Clean Air Act and Section 102(2)(c) of the

National Environmental Policy Act as amended. Requests for copies of

EPA comments can be directed to the Office of Federal Activities at

(202) 564-7167. An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft

environmental impact statements (EISs) was published in FR dated April

04, 1997 (62 FR 16154).

Draft EISs

ERP No. D-AFS-J65269-MT Rating EC2, Poorman Project,

Implementation, Harvesting and Road Construction, Helena National

Forest, Lincoln Ranger District, Lewis and Clark County MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about inadequate

analysis and disclosure of potential adverse impacts to air quality and

wetlands, and identified the need for a project water monitoring

program, and for TMDL development for Poorman Creek. Additional

information is needed to fully assess and mitigate all potential

environmental impacts of the management actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65271-MT Rating EC2, Jericho Salvage Timber Sale,

Implementation, Salvage Treatments and Temporary Road Construction,

Helena National Forest, Helena Ranger District, Powell County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about sediment

transport to area streams and the proposed reduction of streamside

buffer zone widths below INFISH recommended widths. EPA also expressed

concerns about the limited range of alternatives analyzed in the draft

EIS, and about insufficient analysis and disclosure of potential

adverse impacts to air quality and wetlands; and identified the need

for a project water monitoring program, and for TMDL development for

Telegraph Creek. Additional information is needed to fully assess and

mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the management actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-J65274-MT Rating EC2, Beaver Creek Ecosystem

Management Project and Associate Timber Sale, Implementation, Little

and Big Beaver Creek Drainage, Kootenai National Forest, Cabinet Ranger

District, Sanders County, MT.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about potential

adverse water quality, fisheries, wetlands, and wildlife impacts, and

the lack of analysis and disclosure of the monitoring plan to evaluate

impacts to aquatic and air resources. Additional information is needed

to fully assess and mitigate all potential environmental impacts of the

management actions.

ERP No. D-AFS-L65291-ID Rating EC2, Paradise Integrated Resource

Management Project, Implementation, To Commercial Thin and Timber

Salvage Harvest Boise National Forest, Mountain Home Ranger District,

Elmore County, ID.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns on the potential

impacts to water quality, impacts to the Rainbow Roadless Area, the

need for information to support modeling methodologies, the lack of

grazing impact evaluation and monitoring needs.

Final EISs

ERP No. F-AFS-J65266-MT, Tansy Ragwort Control Project,

Implementation, Little Wolf Fire Area, Flathead National Forest, Tally

Lake Ranger District, Flathead County, MT.

Summary: EPA supported control of the tansy ragwort weed

infestation, and expressed lack of objections.

ERP No. F-AFS-K61141-CA, Snowcreek Golf Course Expansion,

Construction and Operation, Special Use Permit, Inyo National Forest

System Lands, Mono County, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns about the approval of

a special use permit to expand a golf course onto Forest Service land

may result in impacts to wetlands in violation of the Clean Water Act,

and requested that the Forest Service delay issuing the special use

permit pending the completion of a federally-acceptable jurisdiction

delineation of ``waters of the United States.''

ERP No. F-AFS-K65197-CA, Canyons Analysis Area, Implementation,

Tahoe National Forest, Trucker Ranger District, Sierra and Nevada

Counties, CA.

Summary: EPA expressed environmental concerns regarding to

construction of 1 mile OHV trail without appropriate NEPA analysis, and

requested that the Forest Service modify the Canyons Record of Decision

to eliminate this new construction or prepare an addendum to the

Canyons Final EIS disclosing the impacts associated with this

construction.

ERP No. F-AFS-K65270-CA, Damon Fire Salvage and Restoration

Project, Implementation, Modoc National Forest, Modoc County, CA.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project

found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to the

preparing agency.

ERP No. F-AFS-L65137-AK, Tongass Land Management Plan,

Implementation, Tongass National Forest, AK.

Summary: EPA provided no formal written comments. EPA had no

objection to the preferred alternative as described in the EIS.

ERP No. F-AFS-L65282-OR, Robinson-Scott Landscape Management

Project, Timber Harvest and other Vegetation Management, Willamette

National Forest, McKenzie Ranger District, Lane and Linn Counties, OR.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS was not deemed necessary. No

formal comment letter was sent to the preparing agency.

ERP No. F-FTA-G54005-LA, Canal Streetcar Line Reintroduction, Canal

Street from the Mississippi River to the Cemeteries, with a Spur

Line to City Park, Funding, City of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project

found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to the

preparing agency.

Other

ERP No. LF-AFS-L61187-WA, Legislative EIS--Upper White Salmon River

Wild and Scenic River Study, Possible Designation, National Wild and

Scenic Rivers System, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Yakima Indian

Nation, Klickitat County, WA.

Summary: Review of the Final EIS has been completed and the project

found to be satisfactory. No formal comment letter was sent to the

preparing agency.

Dated: September 16, 1997.

William D. Dickerson,

Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities.

[FR Doc. 97-24980 Filed 9-18-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6560-50-U